Durban — The eThekwini Municipality said it is expecting close to a million visitors to flock to Durban shores this festive season.
Outlining the City’s readiness for the festive season, mayor Mxolisi Kaunda announced on Wednesday that the City was anticipating to receive 950 000 visitors and it was all systems go to welcome them.
He added that the hotel occupancy will increase from 57% last year to 62% this year. Last year, the City recorded 702 735 visitors which was a drop by 200 000 from 2019. This was attributed to the City’s unsafe beaches because of high levels of E coli.
To demonstrate the readiness, the mayor announced that the City has also unveiled 62 new Metro police vehicles that will be patrolling streets during the festive season as well as 168 contract security personnel who will conduct regular patrols with the police around the City.
In addition, he said the City has employed over 500 seasonal workers who will be deployed to various tourist destinations so that they can quickly attend to any issues that may arise.
These include 65 beach guides who will be stationed across the various City beaches to help visitors.
He added that an additional 160 seasonal lifeguards have also been deployed to various beaches to ensure the safety of bathers.
Furthermore, the mayor announced that 200 000 wristbands have been procured to prevent the loss of children. The City has also hired 38 child-minders who will look after lost children in seven receiving tents until they are reunited with their guardians.
Kaunda said another critical area that always requires attention during this period was the issue of keeping the beaches and the City clean, adding that the Cleansing Solid Waste (CSW) Unit has appointed 135 additional litter pickers to keep beaches pristine and the City spotless.
“It is indeed that time of the year when thousands of holidaymakers descend on our City to enjoy their summer holidays. We are pleased that as a city, we have pulled all the stops to ensure that our residents and visitors have a wonderful stay in Durban,” said the mayor.
Kaunda further assured residents and visitors that the water quality results were comparable and reflected that it was safe for swimming. He said the City has recently conducted a joint sampling of water quality with Adopt a River, a non-profit organisation whose samples are tested by an independent laboratory, Talbot.
He added that the joint sampling was to enable credible comparison of results and to ensure transparency and public safety. To ensure that there was enough water during the festive season, the mayor said Umngeni-Uthukela Water will be adding 160 mega litres of water.
Apart from swimming, the mayor also urged visitors to enjoy walking and cycling at the City’s 8km promenade as well as luxury shopping in the shopping malls.
“While in the west of Durban, visitors can enjoy hiking at Paradise Valley, game drives at the Phezulu Safari Lodge, in the south, we have horseback riding in Amanzimtoti, helicopter rides and boat cruise in Inanda Dam in the north of Durban, enjoy Rickshaw Bus Tours, visit Umgeni Bird Park which houses more than 800 birds from 200 species,” concluded the mayor. – Additional reporting by Willem Phungula
WhatsApp your views on this story to 071 485 7995.
Daily News